Your Rod and Staff Comfort Me

How often have you read and tried to make sense of the Old Testament? 

I mean, if God is love, then why all the ugliness?! 

It all boils down to the Truth found in Psalm 23:4,
"Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." So many have read these tools to be weapons of discipline, however that truly is not how it is. The psalmist clearly states that these things bring comfort, so how is it that we've come to see them through such a brutal lens? 

Let's gain understanding...

A shepard's rod was used to fend off predators; namely wolves, lions, and bears. Shepard's put their life on the line each and every day to protect their flock. 

A shepard's staff was used to direct the flock. This was often times the only thing that kept a wayward lamb from strolling nonchalantly off the end of a cliff to their death. 

The Truth is, the Old Testament, when read through this perspective, is a beautiful story of God's protection, provision, and guidance.

When we get to know the person of Jesus in the gospels, the visible image of the Father, the Old Testament is seen through the lens of love and faithfulness!

Know Him and the Word will take on a whole new light!

Run (in relationship) with me Church!

Www.Purusamor.Com

Flame On or Flame Out

It was said to a friend and I, upon getting born again, "Slow down, or you're going to burn out."
It seemed like such a ridiculous phrase to us at the time. How could anyone in love with Jesus possibly burn out?
That my friends, is where the key lies!
How many times have you heard the term newlyweds and honeymooners in reference to people that are visibly in love with one another?
The phrase is meant in a way to say that after time passes, so does the excitement  of being in love, thus the thrill is gone, and they'll fall into the daily grind of going through the motions. All too often this is the case! People forget why they fell passionately in love with one another, and they just start doing life together like a machine. Rarely a well oiled machine at that. This is the same thing that happens to Christians! They forget why they fell in love with Jesus. They lose the thrill. The spark. The passion. It becomes a "going through the motions, doing life, daily grind." Sure their lives don't look exactly as they did before, but neither do married folks. The sad part is that they've become roommates rather than lovers.
I'm here to testify that this need not be true for us!
We can remain passionate about this perfect love affair!
We can absolutely stay marked by awe day after day, year after year!
But just like any fiery marriage, it's going to take a time commitment!
When I fell in love with my husband, I couldn't get enough of spending time with him. He was the most wonderful man I had ever laid eyes on, and the biggest blessing God had ever given me! If I lose sight of that, we're finished! I might as well change my name back because we'll become strangers living in the same home!
The same is absolutely true for Jesus! When I fell in love with my Bridegroom I couldn't get enough of Him! I'd stay up all night reading His Word. I'd talk with Him all day, everyday, without breaking. I couldn't stop telling everyone I saw about how amazing He is.
If I lose sight of that, it's all over! I might as well not call myself by His name anymore, because we're strangers living in the same home!
If I'd rather sit in front of the television or the computer, than spend intimate time with Him, then we have a serious problem!

So here's the decision we are all faced with...
Do I remember how absolutely positively freakishly amazing Jesus is? Do I remember how He saved my life from the pit of self destruction?
Does this keep my passion ignited for letting Him not only be IN my life, but actually BE my life!
Will I devote my every breath to pursuing the One who pursued me to the point of brutally shedding His blood?

OR will I choose to slowly conform to the ways of this world to satisfy my own cravings, comforts, and desires?...while slowly fading into the lifestyle of singleness once again?

Flame On.....OR......Flame Out!?!

Choose life more abundant!!!

Run with me Church!
Www.Purusamor.Com